Buhari restates commitment to employment creation through social dialogue

President Muhammadu Buhari has restated his administration’s commitment to employment creation through the machineries of tripartism and social dialogue.

The president said this while declaring open a two-day meeting of the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC) in Owerri on Tuesday.

Buhari, who spoke virtually thanked the Ministry of Labour and Employment for convening the meeting which last held in 2014 while assuring of his unflinching support to the resolutions of the council.

“Let me assure you that we are committed to stemming the negative effects of the global financial and economic crisis on employment by strengthening tripartism and social dialogue.

“Please be assured of this administration’s support as you carry out fruitful deliberations,” he said.

Speaking, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, stressed the role of the NLAC in promoting best labour practices in line with international standards.

He expressed optimism that with the passage of the labour institutions bill, the status of the council would be enhanced to enable it to effectively discharge its responsibilities.

“When enacted, the Labour Institutions Bill will widen the scope, functions and nomenclature of the existing council.

“In 2011, three committees were established and later inaugurated in 2013 to make recommendations in thematic areas of our labour administration practice.

“The ministry has collaborated with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) to review the bills and, hopefully, they will be enacted soon,” he said.

Mr Yerima Tarfa, the chairman of the Council and permanent secretary of the ministry, said that the NLAC was established in 1955 by a pronouncement of the Federal Executive Council.

According to him, the meeting is part of government’s strategy of strengthening collaboration between social partners, federal and state governments in order to achieve appropriate solutions at all levels.

This, he said, is to ensure lasting industrial harmony, social and economic development as well as national growth.

Earlier in a welcome address, Imo Gov. Hope Uzodinma, represented by the deputy governor, Prof. Placid Njoku, thanked organizers of the event for choosing Imo as a host state.

Uzodinma was called on the Council’s members to approach their assignment with a sense of seriousness so as to come up with the way forward to realising the objectives of the NLAC.

“Let me call on the members of this Council to approach their assignment with all sense of seriousness and commitment.

“This is to enable you to come up with a defining roadmap that will help realise the objectives of the NLAC and lay a new foundation that will sustain our national aspirations as we march into the future,” he said.

It was reported that the event was graced by the minister of state for labour and employment, Mr Festus Keyamo and many senior staff of the ministry among others.